A Blood Test for Early Cancer Detection Sparks Debate A new ‘liquid biopsy’ detects bits of DNA common in several cancers, though critics question its value Scientists have long dreamed of spotting cancers with a simple blood test in people who haven't shown symptoms. One company says that day is here—though it has yet to convince government regulators. Pathway Genomics began marketing a blood test in mid-September that it says can detect DNA fragments linked to 10 common can

A new type of blood test is starting to transform cancer treatment, sparing some patients the surgical and needle biopsies long needed to guide their care. The tests, called liquid biopsies, capture cancer cells or DNA that tumors shed into the blood, instead of taking tissue from the tumor itself. A lot is still unknown about the value of these tests, but many doctors think they are a big advance that could make personalized medicine possible for far more people. They give t

The European Federation of Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine (EFLM) is urging companies that manufacture blood collection tubes around the world to standardize their stopper colors. Authors of an article published in Clinical Chemistry and Laboratory Medicine affiliated with EFLM cite the risk to patients when tubes from one manufacturer are replaced by those for another with different color-coded stoppers. While color-coding is harmonized by manufacturers supplying

A new medical device has been developed that will provide phlebotomists and clinicians with a technology to enable blood drawing accuracy at first stick. This is particularly important considering the diverse patient demographic each with various levels of difficult venous access. Soon, this enhanced accuracy will greatly reduce patient discomfort as well as procedure time and cost. A team of researchers from VascuLogic, LLC, have developed the world’s first automated venip

Meet your new blood-drawing, needle-wielding robot phlebotomist Drawing blood should be a routine procedure. Unfortunately complications can be common either in the elderly, who may have a compromised vasculature, or in children who are literally scared out of their minds. A startup based in Mountain View, California aims to replace your friendly phlebotomist with a robot. If this new device can gain patient confidence and perform well under ideal conditions, perhaps it can a

Hospital studies consistently show safety-engineered devices reduce needlestick injuries Plebotomists and safety managers in clinical laboratories across the nation will welcome the results of several studies on phlebotomy needlestick injuries. Evidence is accumulating that use of safety-engineered devices (SED) contributes to fewer reports of accidental needle sticks. Some experts consider this to be one more example of how focused, concerted attention to a problem in medica